People who do not have clinical expirience, volunteering and research....

[Taty]

Please post here...
This is for my friend, he has not internet, so i decided a little help him.

OK. This guy IS major Chem minor, 3.73 GPA, 3.9 Science GPA, took April MCAT waiting for results.

He has not volunteering expirience, research & good extras, but he works full time to pay college tuition, plus he is full-time college student.

Is that any chance he can get accepted to MEd School without those extras? If anybody was accepted with no clinical expirience or knows friends who were please, post here (what did u tell on your interviews and what school did u get)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[abefroman]

I think it would be extremely difficult. He should either start working on clinical experiences now so he has something to talk about if he gets any interviews or he should take a year off before applying to build up some experiences.

 

[oldman]

w/o clinical experience, it becomes difficult to show how he will understand what it takes to be a doctor.

 

[dr. momo]

one of the great gifts of medical schools is that if there's any weakness whatsoever in your application, they will find it!! i did the all the volunteer work, research, leadership stuff, etc., but i had never shadowed a doctor. believe me, i got asked "why not??" in every single interview. definitely get some clinical experience if you can!



p.s. not to say that you won't get in if you don't have clinical experience...it just helps to be able to talk about it.

 

[deva]

I don't think clinical experience is all that important. I have no clinical experience (no jobs with doctors, no hospital volunteer positions, etc) and I was not asked about it in any interview. And I got into med school.

 

[alaska]

devastator, do you mind posting your stats and the med schools you got in? Thanks.

 

[yojimbo]

Someone I know had a 3.9 and 37 MCAT with lots of research experience but no (or very little) clinical experience and she now goes to UCSF.

 

[spacecadet]

It's safer to just start getting some clinical experience now. You will hear stories both ways. But, the fact is that they expect you to have this experience and may very well consider you lacking if you don't.

I wish I had started working on my clinical experience last year, but I was told by many, many knowledgable people that I would be fine without it. I didn't get in and I'm now reapplying. And, I don't have a lot of time to build experience before the next cycle.

I understand the problem. I also worked a full-time job during undergrad and it was rough. I'm working full time now, taking classes at night, and have a two-year-old son - but they still expect me to find the time to volunteer at a hospital.

 

[Taty]

damn...i will tell this guy..he really needs to have something...

 

[oldman]

You can think about it this way. If you go out and get clinical experience you get a glimpse of what it's like to be a doctor. I wouldn't want to make a decision that will require about 4 years of education, 3-7 years of extra training, and a life-long career without knowing what I am about to get myself into. I used to think that I might be scared of blood. In fact I once saw someone getting a transfusion and I started to get sick. Now that I deal with blood all day long, I'm think hey this is fun. In fact, I'm having so much fun w/ needles I'm thinking I could go into anesthesia. But that's just a side point. I'm sure there are people who get into med school w/o any volunteering or clinical experience. I have an uncle (he's a son of a bitch who doesn't deserve to be a doc, but that's a different story.) who went to WashU w/o any of that EC stuff.

 

[deva]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by alaska:
•devastator, do you mind posting your stats and the med schools you got in? Thanks.•••••Ok, I have a 4.0 GPA and 37 on MCAT. I did interviews at Cornell, UPenn, NYU, and Johns Hopkins. I fell in love with Cornell, and once they accepted me, I stopped doing interviews. I was waitlisted at NYU and UPenn (tier 1) - this was probably because I made it clear at the interviews that the schools weren't for me (long story). Actually, I was surprised that they even waitlisted me, given that I really disliked what I saw at the schools and that it seemed obvious that they were not right for me, but anyway... I was waitlisted in the upper tier at Hopkins - this was probably because I applied very late (my secondary application actually arrived AFTER the final deadline) and interviewed very late.

Other people told me that clinical experience was the "unspoken requirement" of medical school. Give me a break - it isn't that important. I DO think, however, that having ECs is important, whether they are clinical or not. I have good ECs, and I was able to relate these to a future career in medicine when I did the AMCAS and secondary applications.

 

[sairules]

I know it is easy to become a volunteer at a hospital and do other extra-curriculars.... but how should I land a position to shadow a doctor? I don't know anybody in the medical profession that I feel comfortable asking them if I can shadow them. Maybe when I start volunteering at the hospital then I'll get to know some doctors... and then I can ask them if I can 'formally' shadow them? Actually, isn't working at the hospital the same thing as shadowing? What's the difference? I'm confused (as you can probably see)! But here are my stats so far... tell me what you think I'm lacking:

OGPA - 3.8, SGPA - 3.6
EC's:
1. Webmaster and member of Golden Key Honor Society
2. Member in Computer Science Honor Society
3. Volunteer for Big Brothers/Sisters
4. Driver for Meals on Wheels
5. Various service projects w/my church
6. Volunteer once a week at local homeless shelter
7. will start volunteering at a hospital this summer

I haven't taken the MCAT yet (it'll be next April). I plan to apply to all the Florida schools (first choice) and then some others (not exactly sure which ones). What do you guys think?

 

[Taty]

hey sairules, i am webdesigner( not for golden key) and member of golden key also hmmm ohh I am Sloan Kettering Volunteer and have two unrelated to medicine jobs

I also know the guy who was accounting major and has a CPA, no clinical exstras, 3.7 GPA, 43 MCAT, goes to Stanford...

 

[djipopo]

i think it's a really good idea to have some type of clinical experience. i had to work to support myself during college, so i didn't have much time for extra curriculars or volunteer experiences. what i did do is secure a job as a registrar in an ED - i was able to earn a steady paycheck, gain significant insight into the medical field and acquire clinical experience. hospitals are good places to work, if you have to work, for students. they're open 24/7 so you can work just about any shift that you want - evenings, late night and/or weekends.

 

[The Falconer]

IMHO some kind of ECs are what sets people apart, they are essential . It doesn't need to be clinical, however some volunteer or research experience will get you noticed. Any EC thats shows community involvement can be beneficial depending on where you apply. I have coached several youth sports teams etc. and used that on my app. Make sure its something that you can get into.

 

[DRNNHA]

I think as long as you do something to indicate that you like to be involved and love helping people. It does not have to be heavily clinical experience all the time. Non-premed experience are as well important. My friend didn't have much clinical experience and got into med school. You can start volunteering now, it's not too late if you're worried.

 

[Jessica]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by The Falconer:
•IMHO some kind of ECs are what sets people apart, they are essential . It doesn't need to be clinical, however some volunteer or research experience will get you noticed. •••••I agree with The Falconer on this one.

You don't have to participate in every EC (research, volunteering, leadership) to get accepted to med school (especially given the fact that your friend is working 40 hrs. a week while going to school.)

e.g. when I had a mock interview with the dir. of admissions for the Drew/UCLA program, I told him that I was concerned about the "completeness" of my application, since I had never done any research. He laughed at me and said that given the fact that some pre-meds are in school full time and working almost full time, trying to participate every activity (to be a "cookie-cutter" applicant) in not humanly possible. It would be nice if we all had enough free time to participate in every activity that our hearts desired, but sometimes that just isn't do-able.

If you don't physically have the time to be involved in clinical stuff, it won't necessarily kill your application.

Do what you are passionate about! IMO, it is MUCH better to meaningfully involved in a few activities than to scatter what little free time you have being superficially involved in a number of activities.

 

[none]

It's definitely not too late to start getting experience for the 2002-2003 application season! Just head out to your local VA, go through the volunteer training (mostly history of the VA) and start work in the ER!